Osborne Reef - Tires for Reef

[tarponchik]

You weren't around in the 70's were you?
Hindsight is often 20/20. So easy to judge people today for actions taken decades ago.
Think about the fact that a decade before this was considered normal and a good idea.
View attachment 899849

So go ahead and say they should have done modern test standards and run a pilot program 50 years ago. And do what with the other 1,990,000 tires for 10 years while the test was under way? It was a change from changing dumping tires in the ground into something that appeared to be a good idea by the new standards of the 70s. This is the era that still had leaded fuel at every gas station, cigarettes were so common that as kids one of the candies you could get were candy cigarettes. Lead paint wasn't banned until the late 70s.

Making an artificial reef out of used tires was cutting edge thinking of the day.

You forgot to mention that back then dumping radioactive waste into the ocean was OK. But dumping is one thing and building an artificial reef is another thing, and this last part interests me more. Running a small scale pilot test for such project is not some "modern test standards" (I have no idea what they are or even if such standards exist), it is common sense. So here comes my 2nd question: Was there any scientific advisory for this project? Did they consult any scientists or just went ahead? I am sure there has been a Department of Marine Biology at some university in Florida even back in the 70s.

 

[tursiops]

I was working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution at the time the tires were deployed, and I remember NO scientific discussions of the project, pro or con.

States Attempt To Clean Up After Failed Artificial Reef

Osborne Reef - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It appears be an entirely local and fishing industry project.

 

[rjack321]

Begs for the question, why didn't they start with a pilot project of say, 10,000 tires and watch it for 10 years?

Because Goodyear was eager to "donate" the tires now. And a whole lot of non-scientists, local fishers, mayors and divers were behind it. Actually consulting a fisheries or coral reef biologist probably would have gotten a "we're not sure but fish like structure so maybe???"

Goodyear and crew went full steam ahead

 

[Jake 10]

I would like to know what is being done with the remaining (estimated) 100,000 tires that are still in the ocean and spread across local beaches after years of hurricanes.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

the last I heard the Navy was lifting them out.. TRaining Navy divers

 

[Thunder Struck]

I would like to know what is being done with the remaining (estimated) 100,000 tires that are still in the ocean and spread across local beaches after years of hurricanes.

the last I heard the Navy was lifting them out.. TRaining Navy divers

As Jenny said. Along with some divers recovering them ad hoc.

As for those that get scattered on the beaches they will get picked up and tossed in a dumpster as they wash up. Otherwise, there is no large scale concerted cleanup effort as I understand it.

 

[aue-mike]

Florida DEP issued a request for bids to remediate the remaining Osborne Reef tires that ended May 12: https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/search/bids/detail/12019

Here's some more history on the project: Osborne Reef Waste Tire Removal Project | Florida Department of Environmental Protection

 

[Johnoly]

I read thru the bid request(RFP) +related docs and below is very short summary.
Please keep in mind that RFP's may NEVER result in a contract award and that some contracts awarded actually end in early termination and never completed.
{disclaimer>My limited review & OPINION of 100's pages - research it yourself for differences}

* 7yr contract with option for 7yr extension
* Contract only for removal of 100,000 tires. Might be more or less-they don't know.
* Even though tires are scattered allover, below is the RFP removal boundary map
* Industrial Divers Corporation (IDC)held this contract in ~2022?
* 2023 RFP stated several payments rates over 10yrs (ie easy removal beginning, harder later)
______Yr 1 Payment/tire=$29.50 &Removal rate between 300 – 900 per day(easier removal?)
______Yr 6 Payment/tire=$41.30 &Removal rate between 300 – 900 per day(harder removal?)

* 2023 IDC work plan –(CN-370000-SW348.pdf Pg40-43)
______Divers will collect tires in the work area, and stringing them together on 4 sling clusters into bundles of 30
______Divers will work an area until no more visible tires remain or can be pried out from the top 12–18” sand depth.
______Dive teams will do two dives per day. An initial dive and a repet dive
______Ten pre-rigged clusters of 30 tires each constitute a full load for recovery by the Reef Ranger>boat

From May 2015 to October 2022 - 432,004 total tires were removed

 

[Jake 10]

awesome, good information.

 

[greeniguana]

I was working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution at the time the tires were deployed, and I remember NO scientific discussions of the project, pro or con.

States Attempt To Clean Up After Failed Artificial Reef

Osborne Reef - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It appears be an entirely local and fishing industry project.

*Which was endorsed by the USACE*

Like a lot of other questionable stuff in FL.

Now consultants make big bucks undoing it. Like CERP.